


How to make someone fall in love with you in less than a year

by feminabeata



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-16
Updated: 2014-05-16
Packaged: 2018-01-24 15:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1610651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feminabeata/pseuds/feminabeata
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A guide on how to capture hearts by Nam Woohyun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to make someone fall in love with you in less than a year

**Author's Note:**

> ...but written in the third person by me (Femina Beata).
> 
> Also time has nothing to do with this really. I originally meant to write it with Woohyun being a first year high school student and Sunggyu in his last year (basically what it would be like if they went to high school together and weren't idols), so Hyun only had a year to win over Gyu's heart...but I forgot what it was like to be a high schooler, so it takes place in college now.
> 
> But if anyone wants to steal/borrow/adapt my original idea, by all means go ahead.

**Step 1: Meet them for the first time.**

Woohyun adjusted his messenger bag on his shoulder and pulled at the hem of his shirt, which was riding up. Quickly catching a glimpse of a reflection of himself in a window, he noticed that one piece of hair was askew, standing straight up. He licked his fingers and carefully smoothed it into place. "There...perfect," he announced, smiling at his reflection. It was his first day of classes at the university, and he couldn't fight down the swirl of butterflies, flapping about in his stomach. He felt unprepared, wholly unprepared. He was ranked near the bottom in his high school, and scholastically he was nowhere near ready to take college level courses. But he looked the part. He already looked like a college student. He even bought round glasses frames to complete the look. Maybe with his appearance he could fool others into thinking he was ready, because he was already fooling himself.

He was still smiling at his reflection, when he heard a knock coming from somewhere. The smile fled from his face as Woohyun looked about himself in confusion. The only thing that could be knocked on around him was the glass window right...in front...of him. Woohyun finally was able to see past his reflection and saw a small group of guys sitting at a table on the other side of the window. There was a boy with large teeth contained within an even larger mouth, practically falling out of his chair from laughter. Another was sitting closest to Woohyun, with his knuckles still against the glass. He looked up at Woohyun with his large but pointed eyes and tilted his head to the side with a playful smirk on his lips. But Woohyun eyes were fixated on the third, with a backwards baseball cap on his head and wearing too many layers for this warm weather. He looked directly at Woohyun and raised his eyebrows (thereby making his smaller than average eyes look almost average) as he coyly waved at Woohyun. Then he proceeded to break out in a laugh and hit the laughing person next to him until his friend actually fell out of his chair.

Woohyun quickly bowed in apology and walked briskly away, with his heart racing.

**Step 2: Talk to them**

Later that day, Woohyun slumped into his music theory class, burdened with newly acquired syllabi and responsibilities. College was slowly being revealed as not as much fun as he first thought. And the memory of being embarrassed that morning by the group of guys at the cafe was still burned in his mind, and by recalling it his cheeks also burned. 

He sank into the closest chair near the door and tossed his bag on the floor. Then he laid his head on the cool table in front of him, hoping that it would make the redness in his cheeks go away before the lecture started. It didn't.

The boy with the backwards baseball cap came into the lecture hall with urgency in his step. He quickly looked about the room, and took a seat next to Woohyun. Woohyun pressed his cheek harder into the coolness of the table. But it was all for naught. His cheeks were determined to burn. He took in a deep breath a pretended to be cool and casual, as if this was their first encounter. He lifted his head from the table, but placed it in his hands to somewhat conceal the blush from embarrassment. "Hey," Woohyun greeted casually as one would do to anyone who chose to sit next to them.

"Hey," the other said back out of politeness without even glancing at Woohyun but busied himself with pulling out his notebook and writing utensils.

"Someone came prepared," Woohyun remarked as he saw the boy pull out a third pencil, lining it up with the others.

The other glanced at the empty spot in front of Woohyun and scoffed. "Someone didn't." Then he looked up and recognition swept over his face, lifting his lips and cheeks into a broad smile. "Hey! It's Harry Potter," he exclaimed unconsciously. Woohyun cocked his head in confusion. "I saw you at the cafe earlier when you were doing," he explained as he mocked Woohyun's actions from earlier, pretending to fix his hair underneath the cap. "We called you Harry Potter because of the glasses."

So he did remember. "My name is Woohyun, and I think I look good in these glasses," he defended himself pushing the frames up his nose and flashed a smile.

The other laughed. "I'm Sunggyu, the TA for this class. And those glasses make you look like a nerd."

**Step 3: Intentionally run into them again but pretend it was accidental.**

Woohyun may have never wore those glasses again, but he continued to sit next to Sunggyu during the lectures. However aside from the mumbled greetings that they gave each other, they barely spoke. Sunggyu took his work very seriously. And Woohyun was pretending to be serious to impress the other. But during the second week, they did talk. Woohyun asked for a pencil. And the next day, they spoke again. Sunggyu wanted his pencil back.

However, Woohyun wasn't sated with these minors interactions. He had a feeling about Sunggyu. He felt comfortable around him, even during the five minutes of awkward silence when they sat next to each other before class. Okay, so sometimes it was awkward. But that was because Woohyun's mouth was itching to say something, but Sunggyu would be busy organizing his pencils and notebooks. Who was the actual student in the class anyway? Maybe if he ran into the elder outside of class, away from pencils and lecture halls, the conversation would naturally flow. It was worth a shot.

Sunggyu's office (which he shared with about 20 other students) happened to be located near the vocal practice rooms, to be more specifically near the bathrooms near the practice rooms. Now Woohyun wasn't being a stalker. Sunggyu's office was listed in the syllabus, and he had told the class on the first day that he was available for tutoring. And Woohyun was fully prepared to accept that offer...except that he didn't need it. Funny. He was at the near the bottom of his class in high school, but now that he wasn't forced to take biology and algebra, his grades suddenly improved. He was actually the best student in the class. And Sunggyu knew it; he graded all of the tests. So going to visit Sunggyu during his office hours would be suspicious for the top student, but for the top student diligently practicing his art, that seemed right. But what wasn't right was the hourly visits to the bathroom, just trying to catch Sunggyu entering or exiting the office.

After four weeks, Woohyun finally ran into Sunggyu, literally. "Umph!" Sunggyu grunted. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where...Oh! It's Woohyun. What are you doing here?"

Woohyun pointed to the bathroom doors behind him. "Isn't obvious?" he asked with a chuckle.

Sunggyu looked down at the floor and nodded. "Huh? Yea, guess it is." Then his head jolted back up. "Oh! That's right. I just graded your test. You got your best grade yet. Congrats!" he said with a (was that really?) proud smile.

"Really? Can I see it?" Woohyun asked casually, putting his newly washed (and maybe still wet) hands in his pockets. 

Sunggyu nodded. "Sure, follow me," he answered waving the other to join him in the office.

The office was crammed with rows of tiny cubicles that barely afforded room for the students to rest their elbows on the desk. Sunggyu brought his finger to his lips, signaling to Woohyun to keep quiet as they were surrounded by several working students. They approached Sunggyu's desk which was littered with junk food wrappers and graded papers. Woohyun chuckled to himself. The whole entire "lining up the pencils" routine seemed to be a facade, pretending to be neat and organized while his desk said otherwise. After sifting through the stack of papers, Sunggyu pulled out the right one. "Here you go," he excitedly whispered. 

"Thank you," Woohyun grabbed the test from Sunggyu. He was right. It was his best grade, probably the best grade he received since getting a gold star for coloring in Kindergarten. Woohyun looked up at the other, wanting to stimulate the conversation. And Sunggyu wasn't helping. He had now decided that it would be a great time to organize his desk, ignoring the student. Woohyun searched and searched for a topic in his mind, but then his eyes found one. "Oh you like Nell?" Woohyun asked after catching sight of a mini poster pinned against the cubicle wall.

Sunggyu perked up his head. "Uh, yea. They're my favorite band."

Woohyun shrugged. "Eh, they're alright."

Sunggyu then proceeded spending the next hour and a half explaining why Woohyun, in spite of his spectacular grades, had no ear or taste for music. He even made Woohyun listen to several of their songs. Woohyun would shrug and say that he had heard better, which would only get Sunggyu worked up again, challenging the other to find a better band. Their conversation was abruptly ended by a fierce hiss from a stressed out office mate, asking them nicely to "Shut the f**k up." Sunggyu dismissed Woohyun with the promise that their conversation wasn't over and it would continue "next time" (whenever that vague time was). Woohyun smiled in triumph. Nell was one of his favorite bands.

**Step 4: Keep “accidentally” running into them until it’s obvious that it’s no longer an accident.**

They did continue the conversation. In fact they had several conversations. They took place not only when Woohyun "happened" upon Sunggyu outside/inside his office, but also the cafe where Sunggyu gets his coffee, the restaurant where he eats lunch, and even the bar where he always drinks. One time Woohyun even ran into Sunggyu at the gym while he was working out. That one was purely by accident as was evident by Sunggyu's lack of familiarity at the gym and also the fact that he only lasted running for 15 minutes on the treadmill next to Woohyun. It was cute how hard he tried. He was even cuter when he pouted and cursed at the machine for speeding up when he tried to slow it down. 

But Sunggyu was a creature of habit, going to the same places and hanging with the same friends. It made it all too easy for Woohyun learn his schedule and be able to find him at any point in time during the day. Woohyun's friends, Sungyeol and Kibum, kept calling him a stalker. But Woohyun laughed. Stalkers don't get invited to sit with the people they stalk. Stalkers don't get introduced to their stalkee's friends. So Woohyun isn't a stalker. He's just interested. And Sunggyu notices.

When Woohyun acted surprised to see Sunggyu at the cafe for the 34th morning in a row, Sunggyu laughed. "Don't act so surprised to see me here. You're here every morning like I am." Then he leaned forward and whispered. "Is it possible? Are you here because of me?"

Woohyun nodded. "I thought that hyung would know all the best places in town," he was surprised how easily an explanation for his actions came to him.

Sunggyu smiled proudly and nodded. "You're right. I do," he replied cockily. He grabbed his coffee from the barista and began to walk away. Woohyun grimaced, having almost been caught and thanking his stars for his quick mind. "Hey, once you get your coffee, sit with us," Sunggyu called back to Woohyun before turning back around. 

Waiting five minutes for his coffee had never felt so long to Woohyun.

**Step 5: Become friends.**

Once Woohyun got his coffee, he carefully restrained himself and coolly walked over to the table where Sunggyu was sitting. But unlike usual, he wasn't with his two friends, but with someone new...a girl. And they were at a table for two. Woohyun stood awkwardly next to the table, scanning the cafe for another available table because this one seemed all too taken. Then Sunggyu looked up and noticed Woohyun shifting at his side. "Oh," he exclaimed. He looked frantically about himself and then finally found what he was looking for, a chair. He put it at the side of the table and patted the seat. "Sit," he commanded. And Woohyun did, like an obedient puppy, like a happy obedient puppy. "This," he said gesturing to the woman across the table, "is my sister, Jieun. And Noona, this is my friend, Nam Woohyun."

**Step 6: Become close friends.**

**Note: This is normally done by the sharing of secrets. Start off with a tame secret like, “I know it’s girly, but I think that _The Notebook_ is a good movie.” Don’t reveal too much, or you might scare them off...**

Sunggyu and Woohyun had been spending much time together, so much so that Woohyun became integrated in Sunggyu's small circle of friends, including the ever-chipper Jang Dongwoo and Kim Heechul (who had been a student for so long that no one exactly knew what year he was...or if he was even still a student). And Woohyun's friends became Sunggyu's. The two's friendship naturally grew deeper the more interests that they found that they shared. One of them was a old action movies, in which the fight scenes were so obviously fake and cars with a GPS were considered a marvel. Their other friends had refused to go to the campus' showing of an old spy movie, deeming it too cheesy and boring, so Sunggyu and Woohyun ended up going together alone.

After the movie as they were walking to a restaurant to eat, the two got into an excited conversation about it. "Wah! You know, I think one of my favorite things about those movies is the women. They're just so..." Sunggyu scrambled for words as he tilted his head to the side in thought. "Well, they just don't make them like that anymore. So classy and naturally pretty. And with great bodies! It was a more subtle sexy back then." He looked over at the younger who was being unusually quiet. Sunggyu nudged him with his elbow. "Dontcha think?"

Woohyun looked up at the other and shrugged. "I didn't really pay to much attention to the women. I'm gay, hyung," he stated lightly, having been caught up in the excitement of their conversation. Then he stopped, having realized what snuck past his lips. He looked over to Sunggyu who had also stopped in his tracks, looking down at his feet.

"Oh," the elder said quietly to his feet. Woohyun winced and cursed at himself. His brain was grasping for a way to remedy this situation, to take back the secret. Woohyun opened his mouth to say that he was joking, but Sunggyu cut him off, "Then what do you think about the guys? Handsome, right? And cool? There's not many guys like that anymore either." Sunggyu began walking again.

"Uh huh," Woohyun agreed, his mouth agape in shock. _There's not many guys like you either, hyung_. 

"Hey! What are you doing standing there? Hurry up! I'm starving."

"Coming, hyung!"

**…and if you do reveal too much and they are still there, then you’ve already become close friends without knowing it.**

**Step 7: Initiate skinship**.

It was an bitter, cold day and raining constantly. Woohyun was nice and warm, sheltered from the storm in the cafe he became so familiar with in the past three months.  He began to go there on his own and at times when he knew Sunggyu wasn't there. In fact, he stopped going so often in the morning. He needed his caffeine fix more in the afternoon anyway. And now that he and Sunggyu were close friends, Woohyun even had his phone number, and they could hang out whenever he asked (okay, maybe not whenever, but most of the time). But right as he was getting to the climax of the book he was reading for his Literature class (that he was actually enjoying), a drop of water fell onto his page. And then another. And another one fell on top of his head. Woohyun slowly lifted up his head and saw a dripping wet Sunggyu looming over him. "Can...I...sit here?" he asked with several sniffs.

"Of course, hyung," he answered, staring at Sunggyu with wide, worried eyes as the elder sat down across from him. "Forgot your umbrella?" 

"Sh-shut up." Sunggyu cursed with a shiver, rubbing his hands up and down his arms, trying to create warming friction. His fingertips were almost blue. Sunggyu never did well with the cold under the best circumstances, and now...

Woohyun grabbed one of Sunggyu's hands in his own and began to rub his hands against his cold, wet skin. Sunggyu let out a contented sniffle. "Do it with this one too," he begged, thrusting his other hand in Woohyun's face. Woohyun let go of his hand, after holding it for the first time.

...but it wasn't enough.

  **Step 8: Do it again because it felt nice.**

"I got a better idea," Woohyun said. He got up from his side of the table. Sunggyu looked at him confused as Woohyun walked behind him. Then Woohyun encircled his arms around Sunggyu, hugging him tightly, swinging them back and forth as he rubbed his hands up and down the other's biceps. "Aren't I warm, hyung?" Woohyun asked with a chuckle.

"Stop it. People are watching," Sunggyu whined and he squirmed in Woohyun's arms.

Woohyun's arms clutched onto him even more tightly. "Nope not until you're warm again."

"I'm warm! I'm warm! Let go!"

**Step 9: Become best friends.**

**Note:How do you know when you're best friends? Simple. One of you finally breaks down and says what you've both been wanting to say for awhile...**

 As time passed, not only did Woohyun hang out with Sunggyu's friends and Sunggyu hung out with Woohyun's friends, but their friends began to hang out with each other. A lot. And soon they morphed into one group. One night, after their midterms, they all gathered at a bar to celebrate, unwind, and drink a little too much. Kibum already had a headstart. "You," he slurred pointing at Woohyun and pouted. "You used to be my best friend."

Woohyun put his arm around Kibum's shoulders, comforting him and stopping him from falling over. "You still are, buddy."

"Ha!" Heechul remarked from the side with the straw from his cocktail still wedged between his teeth as he spoke. "Then where were you this afternoon, when I was busying taking care of his tipsy ass."

"I was studying with Sunggyu," Woohyun answered quietly.

"See!" Kibum said sticking his finger in Woohyun's face (and almost up his nose). "Sunggyu is your new best friend. And you just tossed me aside like a piece of trash." Kibum mumbled into baby-talk like he normally did when a little drunk.

"He's the TA for my class. He was tutoring me," Woohyun explained. "It's not like we were having fun." Kibum seemed satisfied with that answer and began pestering Heechul for letting him drink so much. Heechul, unlike Woohyun, did not have the patience to deal with Kibum and just shoved another drink in the other's face.

Then Dongwoo and Sunggyu walked into the bar, joining them. Dongwoo walked up and almost sat down on the stool next to Woohyun, but then he jolted back up as if the chair was hot. "Oops," he yelped as he stepped aside. "I'll let your best friend sit next to you," he said with a smile.

"Thanks," Sunggyu said as he slid next to Woohyun. He smiled at the other while he patted his back and ordered a drink.

**...and if you two are too cowardly to admit it, let someone else acknowledge it.**

**Step 10: Realize that your infatuation with the person maybe something more.**

There was a lot that Woohyun liked about Sunggyu. He liked how Sunggyu was smart. He liked Sunggyu's voice, singing and speaking (even when it was yelling at him). He liked how Sunggyu pretended to be tough but had a weak heart, at least when it came to him. He liked how Sunggyu became easily excited and loud, and then how he would quickly become tired and acted like he hated living. He liked the way Sunggyu ate with his mouth wide open, so much so that you could tell what he was eating. He liked almost everything about the elder. He liked too much. They were just friends. Best friends. But like when Woohyun tried skinship for the first time with Sunggyu, it didn't seem to be enough.

**Step 11: Push the boundaries to test how deep your feelings run.**

Woohyun walked into Sunggyu's office wondering if the other wanted to go to lunch with him. But he found the other with his cheek squashed against the papers on the desk, completely asleep. Woohyun quickly glanced around and noticed that the other 19 students who always seemed to be bustling around the office were gone. They were the only ones there. Alone. 

Woohyun knelt down next to Sunggyu. The elder was breathing softly, with his mouth opened slightly. A light stream of drool spilling onto the page he was using as a pillow. His long eyelashes were fluttering against his cheeks, as his eyes moved behind his eyelids, showing that he was deep in sleep. Really deep. Nothing could probably wake him up at the moment. 

Woohyun rested his chin on the same piece of paper that Sunggyu was sleeping on. He could feel the other's hot breath on his lips and his heart pick up its pace in his chest. He moved his face even closer, his lips less than a centimeter away from the other. His nose almost poked the other in the cheek. They were so close. Woohyun's heart was pounding now. He could hear it thumping in his ears. They were too close. He got up and walked away, skipping lunch that day entirely.

**Step 12: Run away because you’re freaked by how much you like them.**

For the next week, Woohyun avoided Sunggyu, claiming that he was busy with his other classes. And Sunggyu ate up the lie without question or compliant. "Classes come first," he said. "You're a student." It might have been wishful thinking, but Woohyun might have heard a twinge of sadness behind that authoritative voice. And soon the only time they saw each other was during the music theory lectures, for which Woohyun would show up a minute or two late intentionally to avoid talking to Sunggyu before class, and he would leave immediately after class when Sunggyu was talking to the professor. And that's how a whole week passed with nothing more than a few cordial text messages shared between the two.

But Woohyun needed that time to weigh his options. He brought a hand to his chest and took in a deep breath as he walked to his next class. He was just sitting next to Sunggyu, and his heart was already racing. Sunggyu hadn't even looked at him really, but that had put Woohyun even more on edge, waiting for their eyes to meet and smile at each others because...they _were_ best friends. Had a week changed that already? Well, a week hadn't changed his feelings for Sunggyu. And that only left Woohyun with two options: let their friendship naturally drift away by putting distance between them or to risk their friendship and act like best friends again even though Woohyun was pretty sure he wanted more.

The decision was easy. 

**Step 13: Return to them because you missed them.**

"Oh, you waited for me," Sunggyu said in shock as he walked out of the lecture hall and saw Woohyun leaning on the wall across from it. Sunggyu was beaming. "Did things finally slow down?"

"Yep, hyung," Woohyun answered pushing himself off of the wall and walked over to his friend. "Sorry." He smiled apologetically.

Sunggyu put an arm around Woohyun's shoulders and brought him close to his side. "Don't be. You're a student. Classes come first," he repeated his words, this time more cheerfully. "Come on. Let's get lunch. I'm starving."

Woohyun swore that his heartbeat must be audible at this point and that the blush on his cheeks were giving him away. He looked up at the other who was still...completely oblivious. Woohyun then put an arm around Sunggyu's shoulders too and brought the elder closer to his side. Sunggyu smiled. And somehow Woohyun's heart slowed down. He had felt this way only once before, and he was almost certain that this was what it was.

**Step 14: Admit to yourself that you love them.**

Woohyun loved Sunggyu. It was as simple as that. 

**Step 15: Study their actions to see if they feel the same way.**

Woohyun sat across from Sunggyu at the small, tonkatsu restaurant they often frequented together. "Hyung, did you miss me when I was gone?" Woohyun asked as he picked at the dish in front of him.

Sunggyu looked around him as he smiled. "Of course," he admitted. "It really weird without you following me around all day. And really quiet without you constantly yapping in my ear."

Woohyun pouted. "It didn't sound like you missed me. Sounds like you only noticed that I was gone."

Sunggyu laughed, covering his mouth lest the food he was chewing on fell out. He swallowed. "What did you want me to say?" he asked. He reached across the table and patted Woohyun on the head. "Aigoo! I missed you so much, Hyunnie," he said in a baby voice.

Woohyun slapped Sunggyu's hand from his head and stabbed the pork in front of him. That answer didn't seem like it came from someone who had a crush on the other, or even a best friend. It was more like a master welcoming back his puppy. Not what Woohyun wanted at all.

Later when they finished eating, Woohyun reached for his wallet. Sunggyu lifted up his hand to stop him. "I'm paying," he declared. "You deserved it." That reaction was maybe from a best friend...or from a father to a son. Still not what Woohyun was looking for.

That evening, Woohyun heard a knock at his apartment door. It was Sunggyu. He held up his hand to show a DVD of classic action movie. "You'd said we'd watch this when you were free, are you free now? I've been waiting for you to watch this. Do you have any idea of how hard it was?" Woohyun invited him in. Sunggyu sounded like someone who missed his best friend...and slightly whiny. It was nice to know that Woohyun's week-long absence did not change some things.

Woohyun hardly paid attention to the movie. His eyes were fixed on Sunggyu, still looking for some sign, any sign that Sunggyu might return his feelings. After realizing that Woohyun had not derailed their friendship, he was wondering if something had kept it on track: a longing, a want, a need, a desire, not just from Woohyun's behalf but also Sunggyu's.

"Yah," Sunggyu whispered harshly to Woohyun, snapping him out of his daze. "I know I'm handsome, and you missed me, but we're getting to a good part."

**Note: Do this without creeping them out with your constant staring.**

Before the movie was finished, Sunggyu had fallen asleep with his head on Woohyun's shoulder. _And he wanted to watch to movie so badly_ , Woohyun laughed to himself. The elder looked so peaceful, reminding Woohyun of that one time back in his office, causing Woohyun to stiffen. He couldn't let his resolve crumble so soon. When the movie was over, Woohyun shook his shoulder. "Hey hyung, the movie is over. You should probably wake up and go home," he spoke in a hushed tone.

Sunggyu's head shifted on his shoulder, his nose brushed against Woohyun's neck. The elder wrapped his arms around the younger's waist as he settled his head back in the crook of Woohyun's neck. "Just five more minutes," he whispered hoarsely while smacking his lips. "Just five more minutes please, Hyunnie." Was...was this a typical reaction from a best friend? None that Woohyun had, especially not from Kibum. Or was it simply because Sunggyu was being his normal exhausted self?

Woohyun never figured it out. He fell asleep on the couch that night with Sunggyu in his arms.

**Step 16: Find a second opinion. And then a third…ask everybody.**

"YAH! LOVEBIRDS!" Sunggyu and Woohyun woke up to a shrieking shout. Woohyun blinked away the sleep from his eyes and saw a disheveled, recently awaken Sungyeol. Sungyeol kicked at Woohyun's feet on the floor. "Sleeping is what bedrooms are for, not _my_ couch." Woohyun rolled his eyes at his roommate; the couch was his as well. "Now either get up or make some room because I'm watching the game in here." Sunggyu opted for the first option as he quickly got up and said that he had to run off somewhere anyways, leaving the room with his head bowed in embarrassment. Sungyeol looked at Woohyun as the door shut behind Sunggyu. "I don't get you two," he stated with a shake of his head, and then turned his attention to the game on t.v.

"Neither do I," Woohyun mumbled under his breath. But maybe somebody else did.

"Yea, you guys are close. A little too close at times for my liking," Kibum answered. "There were times when I thought you two were a couple because you guys act so god damn considerate of each other. But..."

"But?" Woohyun asked, drawing it out like Kibum had.

"I'm not sure Sunggyu swings like that. In fact, I never hear him shut up about girls," his friend said. Woohyun pouted. Kibum nudged him in the side. "It could be a cover," he suggested with a shrug. But then he saw Woohyun's face light up a little too brightly. "But don't give your hopes up." Kibum dashed them all.

Woohyun then decided to ask one of Sunggyu's friends, vaguely of course. Careful not to reveal too much of his own feelings (there was a reason why Kibum had been his best friend. The other could read him like an open book and knew that Woohyun was in love with Sunggyu before he did). "You're best friends," Dongwoo answered.

"That's it. He never said anything else?" Woohyun asked.

Dongwoo thought for a moment. "You're _very_ best friends." Woohyun let out a frustrated sigh. He should have expected so much from Jang Dongwoo. constantly distracted Dongwoo, completely oblivious Jang Dongwoo. "I mean, he loves you. That's obvious." Woohyun immediately perked up. "He loves you like a brother," he finished explaining. Woohyun was never going to ask Dongwoo for his opinion on anything ever again.

"First Gyu, now you," Heechul complained after Woohyun approached him with the question. They were sitting on the quad, and Heechul was busy making himself a necklace out of dandelions (what was this kid doing here anyway?). Woohyun plucked another dandelion from the ground and handed it to Heechul. "Thank you."

Woohyun laid down on the grass, pretending to be casual while his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. "What do you mean?" 

"Sunggyu asked me the same question," Heechul simple stated as he knotted the weed onto his dandelion chain. "Do Woohyun and I seem a little too close to you, oh wise Heechul-hyung?" Heechul tried to mimic Sunggyu's voice, but ended up sounding like a five year-old.

"I'm pretty sure he didn't say that," Woohyun said with a chuckle. Heechul shrugged. "What did _you_ say?"

"I said the same thing that I'm going to say to you," Heechul began as he placed the finished chain in his lap. He turned to Woohyun who propped himself onto his elbows. "Talk to each other and leave me out of it!" Heechul barked and then smiled innocently. Then he placed the weed necklace around his neck and framed his chin with his hands. "Now, tell me I'm pretty."

"You're pretty, hyung," Woohyun's voice was slow and dumbfounded. He had found a definite answer nowhere. The two were seen as close companions by their peers, but there also seemed to be something lurking underneath, something deeper, something real. It hadn't just been a figment of Woohyun's imagination. But whether that unexpressed feeling was brotherly love or something more was hard to say. But Sunggyu had asked Heechul about it. And that _had_ to mean something. Maybe all the elder needed was a slight push to brings those feelings to the surface.

And Woohyun might know exactly how to do it.

**Step 17: Subtly demonstrate your love for them.**

Sunggyu had a large project due that week, and Woohyun wanted to do something special for him. To show how proud he was of Sunggyu, how much he cared for him, and to take his mind off of the god damn project for only a few moments. Sunggyu was getting tightly wound, and someone needed to loosen him a bit.

"Hyung, let's go out for a little bit, hm?" Woohyun asked peeking over the cubicle wall, trying to be cute. It was working. Sunggyu cracked a smile.

But then he shook his head. "Can't. I need to finish this composition."

"Who composes at a desk anyway?" Woohyun whined.

Sunggyu looked around the room and saw several of his fellow office-mates working on the same assignment. "Several people do. Plus I have a program on here," he explained, tapping on the edge of his computer screen with his pencil.

"I have a keyboard at my apartment. Why don't you work on it there? A change of scenery might help," Woohyun tried to persuade the other who was still shaking his head. "I'll make dinner."

Sunggyu immediately lifted his head from his work and smiled sheepishly at the other. "Well...I am kind of hungry, and a change of scenery might help," he tried to defend his rationale, pretending that his whole decision wasn't based on his empty stomach. But Woohyun knew better. Sunggyu tended to think with his stomach and planned his days around meals, refusing to skip any of them unless completely necessary. So Woohyun was almost positive that the way to open Sunggyu's heart was to fill up that stomach. 

Sunggyu packed up his belongings and left the office with Woohyun. "Who knows maybe I'll get inspired?" he wondered.

Woohyun playfully nudged him. "Maybe I'll be your muse."

"HA!" Sunggyu laughed. "If you were my muse, it would end up sounding like a peppy children's song." Woohyun frowned at that thought. Maybe he was like a little brother to him. "Or maybe some sappy love ballad about destiny and true love or some crap like that." Or maybe he wasn't.

Once they got to his apartment, Woohyun began laying out some of the food that he had prepare earlier that day and cooking the the rest as Sunggyu sat at the table and munched at the prepared side dishes and played around with the notes on his composition. "You know these aren't bad. They're pretty good," he complimented. "Do you cook often?"

"Not really," Woohyun furrowed his brow in concentration as he tossed the food in the skillet he was cooking with over the range. "No time for it. But I always thought I'd be good at it if I tried. How hard can it be?" he ended looking over his shoulder and smiling at Sunggyu. 

"A bit harder than you think," Sunggyu retorted. "The pan's on fire."

A few minutes later, Woohyun was finished cooking, having partially burned the main dish and even the rice. "I'm sorry, hyung," Woohyun said, picking at the food in front of him. "You don't have to eat it. It probably tastes horrible."

Sunggyu rolled his eyes. "I bet it tastes fine. Plus it'd be rude. You worked hard," he spoke as he tentatively put a piece of chicken in his mouth and chewed. His eyes lit up, and he gave the other a thumbs up. "It's good. A little crunchy, but good."

"Thanks, hyung," Woohyun cheerfully said, finally eating his own food.

Sunggyu shook his head. "I should thank you. This is some of my favorite food. Actually..." He glanced at the spread on the table. "This is all my favorite food. Did you do this on purpose?"

Woohyun's chopsticks stopped moving. Keeping his head down he shyly glanced up. "Maybe," he mumbled.

Sunggyu reached over and began to pat Woohyun on the head. "Aigoo! Such a good dongsaeng taking care of his hyung. Thank you."

Woohyun beamed. "No problem. I'm the best."

"But maybe not the best at cooking," Sunggyu teased.

Later after they had finished eating, they adjourned to Woohyun's bedroom. Woohyun pretended to be reading his textbook for his music seminar, but he was really listening to Sunggyu playing on his keyboard, working out the kinks of the composition. Every so often, Woohyun would make a comment, and Sunggyu would take it in stride...until he suddenly snapped having grown frustrated with the piece. "You're just a first year student, what do you know?!" he yelled.

Woohyun shut his book and walked over to the keyboard. "Move," he commanded lightly shoving Sunggyu from the bench. The elder relented and stood up with his arms crossed. Woohyun grabbed a piece of paper littered with music notes from his floor and placed it in front of him. He began playing the keyboard. "I might be just a first year, but I have composed before," he bragged while playing. He looked up at Sunggyu who looked dumbfounded. "And I'm not bad at it."

Sunggyu nodded in defeat. "Yea, you're not bad. You're better at this than you are at cooking, but..." His voice halted, and he brought his eyes closer to the paper Woohyun was reading from. "Is...is that my name on there? Did you write this for me?"

Woohyun's hands froze over the keyboard. He had forgotten that he had did that. Not that he wrote a song about Sunggyu. All of the songs that he wrote lately were inspired by that tiny eyed old soul, by love. What Woohyun had forgotten was that he had dreamily scrawled the elder's name on the top of it. Woohyun glanced quickly up at it and sighed in relief. At least the usual hearts weren't there.

"First you make me dinner. Then you write me a song. Nam Woohyun, do you like me?"

**Step 18: Learn the definition of the word “subtle.”**

Woohyun was caught, and there was only one way to escape.

**Step 19: Confess.**

Woohyun brought his hands to his side and looked up at the elder with sincerity. "Yes, I like you...a lot."

A weird smile flashed across Sunggyu's face. "I like you too, Hyun," his voice sounded a little strained. He put a hand on Woohyun's shoulder. "And that's why we're best friends. Now move. I got to finish this." Listless, Woohyun obeyed his hyung and stood up and flopped onto his own bed, wondering if he just got rejected or was simply misunderstood. He heard Sunggyu snigger and propped himself onto his elbows to get a better look at the elder. Sunggyu's back was still turned to him as he spoke. "Is that really what I sound like to you? It sounded like a sappy love song...should've figured coming from you, Mr. I-believe-in-destiny."

It didn't sound like a sappy love song...it _was_ a sappy love song. And Sunggyu was being too oblivious to know the difference.

**Step 20: Confess again because the person that you love is stupid.**

Eventually, Sunggyu finished the song and left thanking Woohyun for the "inspiration" (whatever that meant). And he left Woohyun with a new fire in his heart. He was going to confess, properly this time. He was going to carefully plan what he was going to say without any room for it being misconstrued. And he was going to say it all without being interrupted and diverted by that damn man he loved (Sunggyu never seemed to get tired of the sound of his own voice).

The only way he could do this was with a phone call, more specifically a voicemail. Woohyun called Sunggyu's phone while he was performing his composition in front of the panel. 

"Sunggyu-hyung, it's Woohyun. I know that you're performing right now. And I hope that it went well. No, I know it went well. You're brilliant. I just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you. In fact, hehe, I'm always thinking about you, hyung. I like you. Not as a friend. Not as a brother. I just...like you. Hell, I damn near love you. And I want to be with you. I _need_ to be with you. Hyung...will you be mine?"

Woohyun collapsed on his bed and clutched his racing heart. He was done. And it was out there. Now there was only one thing left to do.

**Step 21: Wait.**  
 **Note: Patience is a virtue.**

It had been three days since Woohyun confessed through the voice message, and there was no word from Sunggyu. But he had class with him the next day.

**Step 22: Keep waiting.**  
 **Note: Patience is a frustrating virtue.**

Sunggyu didn't show up to class that week.

**Step 23: Get your heart broken.**

"Woohyun, I'm not like you," Sunggyu admitted. He had knocked on Woohyun's door the night before Woohyun left for home for Winter break. Their last chance to resolve this issue before the holidays (ironically known as a season of love). Sunggyu was still standing in the threshold with his eyes fixed onto his feet. "I'm not gay," his voice muffled by the gray scarf that he was burying his face in. "I can't be who you want me to be."

"Oh," Woohyun let out, also looking at his feet. "I understand." He shyly looked up at Sunggyu who had been staring at him. Their eyes met for an instant, and both turned their faces away. "I'm sorry, if I made you feel uncomfortable."

Sunggyu finally stepped inside the apartment, causing Woohyun to jump back in surprise (and not wanting to offend Sunggyu). "Don't be sorry. You can't help the way you feel. And I'm a pretty awesome guy. I don't blame you for falling for me," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. Woohyun forced a smile on his face, but the joke had stung instead of cheered. Sunggyu seemed to notice this because he retreated his head back into the scarf like a turtle into it's shell. "But...Hyun, I missed you...as my friend. I need you as my friend. Can you still...be my friend?"

Woohyun swore he never heard the word "friend" spoken by Sunggyu so many times. It was as if he was reinforcing, reminding Woohyun where they actually stand. Where Sunggyu still wanted him to stand. And, damn it, friend-Sunggyu is better than no Sunggyu at all, even if it did hurt.

**Step 24: Remain positive and act like nothing’s changed even though your heart is shattered.**

"Of course hyung," Woohyun said with a forced smile so large that he felt like it was ripping his face apart, like his chest was ripping. "We'll always be friends. Let's just forget that I said anything at all."

Sunggyu lifted his head from his scarf and smiled brightly, genuinely. "Okay. Look, I got to go but I'm glad that we had this talk." He said as he was stepping back out into the hallway.

"Yea, me too," Woohyun said under his breath, staring at his feet as he was closing the door.

"Oh and Woohyun," Sunggyu called. Woohyun looked up and rested his head on the edge of the door. Sunggyu smiled widely again, his eyes almost closing. "Merry Christmas."

**Step 25: Find a rebound.**

The holidays had never been so depressing to Woohyun. The usual seasonal smells that he delighted him failed to even reach him. The twinkling lights that he thought were like stars on earth now looked like annoying, tiny lightbulbs. And seeing everyone so filled with the Christmas "cheer" walking down the street hand in hand with their lovers, going shopping, looking at the lights together (things he had dreamt about doing with you-know-who if things had went better), it only saddened him even more. The only thing that didn't bother him where the Christmas trees. They were prickly and dark, just like his mood.

His own mother noticed her son's strangely somber mood and attempted to cheer him up, but to no avail. Woohyun was adamant about staying grumpy. Until one night she had enough. Woohyun was in the kitchen tearing apart a gingerbread cookie, limb from limb, with the expression of an executioner. "That's it," she said smacking the palm of her hands against the countertop. "I called Kibum, who by the way told me you went AWOL on him. You guys are going out tonight. And you, mister," she pointed at Woohyun's face with a cookie limb hanging from his mouth. "You are going to have fun, and smile at least once tonight."

Woohyun swallowed the cookie he was chewing. "What if I don't want to?" he challenged.

"I'm your mother. You're going, or I'm disowning you."

And so Kibum, Sungyeol, and Woohyun went to a bar (sounds like a start of a joke, which this night ended up being in all respects except for one). It was a bar that none of them had been to before, and with good reason. It was a bit dodgy, and the drinks were poorly mixed, light on the alcohol, which was okay to Woohyun; he already felt numb. "You need a rebound," Sungyeol suggested.

"A rebound from what?" Woohyun joked. Normally people found rebounds after being in a relationship, not from a simple and cordial rejection. 

Sungyeol punched him in the arm. "Don't give me that shit. I know you're still hung up on _him_." Woohyun shot him a threatening glare. "Stare at me all you want, but you know I'm right."

Kibum leaned in. "Don't think of it as a rebound. Think of it as a distraction," he suggested.

A distraction. Woohyun liked the sound of that better. It sounded less serious, almost playful. It sounded like it was what he needed. All of his thoughts were still concentrated on one thing. One tiny-eyed thing. He hated it. It made him feel like a girl. But he also couldn't help it. But a distraction, that might help.

"Sure. Let's do it," Woohyun said taking a huge gulp from his drink.

"Good because that one guy at the end of the bar has been staring at you for the last half and hour. It's kind of creepy," Sungyeol commented with a shiver. "I think that it's safe to say that he's interested in you."

Woohyun casually leaned back, and his eyes meet with the said guy.

**Note: Make sure that the rebound is wildly attractive, so that you are distracted by their handsomeness.**

If Woohyun was being honest, this kid was way more handsome than Sunggyu was, by miles. And if Woohyun was really honest, no one else was that handsome. The guy looked extremely out of place with the rest of the dodgy bar. And his stare was intense and somewhat chilling, but also familiar. "I know that kid," Woohyun said with a smile. "That's Myungsoo."

"The quiet boy from your Lit class," Kibum asked casually scanning Myungsoo up and down before returning to his spot. "He's not bad, but then again you're the expert in this area. You go work on that guy. And I'll work on that girl over there." He finished pointing at a girl alone in the corner, waiting for her friends to return.

Sungyeol followed the path of Kibum's finger. He exposed his gums with his wide smile. "Not if I get to her first." And the two quickly strutted over, with slight shoving, to the girl in the corner, surprising her with their forwardness.

And now it was Woohyun's turn. He walked to the end of the bar. Myungsoo's eyes never left him as he approached. "Myungsoo, right?" he asked as he sat down next to the other.

Myungsoo nodded. "And you're Woohyun." It wasn't so much as a question but a statement. 

Woohyun nodded. "Let me buy you a drink."

That night had ended innocently enough. Nothing really transpired between them that night except for conversation and some curious hands (Myungsoo had a habit of touching the person next to him, whether he was interested in him or not). But Woohyun did fulfill a promise. He finally smiled. In fact he started to smile a lot. And he started to hang out with Myungsoo a lot. He was different from the cold, loner type that he appeared to be. He was polite, sweet, and a loud laugher with a tendency to contort his handsome face into the weirdest expressions. He fit in seamlessly with Woohyun's friends, especially getting along well with Sungyeol. But best of all. He was a great distraction, especially with his tendency to latch onto others like moss on a tree. It comforted Woohyun, made him feel wanted.

But with all the things that Myungsoo was, there was still one thing he wasn't.

**Step 26: Realize that the rebound is nowhere near the person that you still love.**

He wasn't Sunggyu.

And that wasn't going to change, no matter how distracted Woohyun was.

**Step 27: Friend-zone rebound.**

Even after that realization, Woohyun still hung out with Myungsoo, even bringing him to his house for dinner one night. They grew close quickly, really close. But he could feel that Myungsoo was more attached to him than the other way around. And from experience, Woohyun knew that he had to nip it in the bud before it was too late. Before the feelings grew too deep.

But maybe it was too late. When Woohyun was walking Myungsoo to his car after dinner with his parents, Myungsoo leaned in, his dark eyes fixated on Woohyuns mouth, and his hot breath hitting the other's lips. Woohyun took a step back. "Uh, Myung," he gasped and lightly shoved the other away from him.

But then something unexpected happened. Myungsoo began laughing. "It's Sunggyu, right?"

Woohyun cocked his head. "How did you know?"

"Yeol," Myungsoo stated, putting his hands in his pockets. Woohyun nodded. Of course, no one had a big mouth and a loose tongue like that kid. "And the fact that you two still constantly call and text each other. You always talk about him. So I thought that you might be still into him, but I thought that I might as well try."

"Myung," Woohyun closed his eyes for a second as he leaned against the hood of Myungsoo's car. He opened his eyes and saw Myungsoo standing in front of him with a slight smirk. "I'm sorry. I wish I could...with you. But I can't. At least not yet."

It was a small consolation, but it brought a smile to the other's face. "You feel the way you feel," he coolly said, but his eyes were glued to his feet. "But if they do change." He looked up quickly.

"You'd be the first one I'd go to, but, Myung, I shouldn't be yours. Go and find someone better than me," Woohyun said getting up from the hood and patted Myungsoo on the shoulder.

"Shouldn't be hard," Myungsoo teased. And Woohyun punched him in the arm for the comment and waved goodbye as the other drove away.

**Step 28: But keep rebound around to make the person that you love jealous.**

And oddly enough, that confession didn't put a rift in their friendship, but it made it stronger after expressing unsaid thoughts and feelings. And their friendship continued through the winter break and into the new semester. And when Sunggyu asked Woohyun to meet him for lunch before classes to catch up, Myungsoo offered to join them to serve as some sort of buffer. Woohyun accepted because he got a little too used to Myungsoo's constant presence. Also it would hopefully show to Sunggyu that he had moved on (which he hadn't but the elder didn't need to know that), and so their best friendship would no longer seemed threatened by Woohyun's feelings. And if Sunggyu seemed to get intimidated by Myungsoo's handsomeness, then it was an added bonus. 

"Sorry hyung," Woohyun said as he sat down. "I hope that you don't mind my friend joining us. He doesn't know many people." It was partially the truth.

Sunggyu smiled and shook his head. "I don't mind. It'll be nice to meet the new friend you made." There he was, being brotherly again. "It seemed like you guys hung out a lot from what you told me."

"Yea, we became pretty close," Woohyun admitted, wondering if the conversation was going to remain this stilted. Then he caught a glimpse of a black, flopping mop of hair walk in through the door. "And there he is. Hey Myung! Over here!"

Myungsoo nodded in acknowledgement and strutted on over to the table. Before he sat down in his seat, he gave Woohyun his customary long and tight back hug. Woohyun chuckled, being used to Myungsoo's intense and casual skinship. 

But Sunggyu wasn't. And from the sour expression on his face, he didn't seem to like it.

**Step 29: See your plan actually working…**

The rest of the lunch passed rather peacefully, and the banter Woohyun had developed with Sunggyu the last semester seemed to pick up where they left off. The elder was also pleasant to Myungsoo and asked questions about who he was and what he liked. It seemed like they got along every well, but every so often, Woohyun would witness Sunggyu throwing a narrowed glare whenever Myungsoo rested his hand on Woohyun's shoulder or thigh. It made Woohyun curious. Friends wouldn't act like that, but maybe overbearing brothers would. Either way, Woohyun liked it and wanted to see more of it.

And so every time Sunggyu invited him somewhere, Woohyun would drag Myungsoo along. He knew it was childish, but seeing the elder pout whenever Myungsoo stole the chair next to Woohyun or whenever Myungsoo suddenly came up from behind and hugged Woohyun, it only made Woohyun do it more. And what made matters even worse was that Woohyun would limit Sunggyu's interactions with Myungsoo because if he had ever seen Myungsoo and Sungyeol together, he would know that the handsome boy was like that with everybody. It was bad. Woohyun was in it too deep. 

And then Sunggyu did this: when inviting Woohyun to lunch, Sunggyu threatened him, "Yah! Don't you dare to bring Myungsoo this time. I can't even remember the last time it was just the two of us. _I'm_ your best friend. Not him." And when they met later that day, alone for once. Sunggyu turned his face away as he asked, "So are you...are you and Myungsoo dating?"

Woohyun smiled in triumph. Sunggyu couldn't even look at him right now as he waited for the answer. "No," Woohyun answered simply, and Sunggyu turned to face him, with a slight smile.

"Good. That kid is way out of your league," he teased.

Woohyun raised a curious eyebrow. "Who is in my league, hyung?"

Sunggyu pursed his lips in thought and answered after a few moments of silence, "Jung Hyungdon." He laughed hysterically at his own joke. It wasn't until that moment Woohyun had realized that Sunggyu hadn't laughed like this is a while, so unrestrained. What was holding the elder back earlier?

Ever since Woohyun had seen that sour expression on Sunggyu's face when he first met Myungsoo, a seed of hope was planted into his heart. And now looking at the other with a permanent smile attached to his face, that seed had bloomed.  Woohyun was determined to turn that hope into a reality. He estimated that one final move would do the trick; it would be checkmate, game over.

Later that week, Sunggyu invited him to go out drinking. "I've had a rough week, and I really need to unwind," he had complained over the phone after lamenting about the barrage of tests and papers he had to go through. Woohyun had assumed that the entire group was going to meet at the bar, but when he had gotten there it was just him and Sunggyu. "The others said they were busy," he explained. Normally Woohyun would be delighted to spend some one-on-one time, but his mind was plotting. He had already sent a text to Myungsoo to come meet them there. And once the handsome lad walked through the door, Sunggyu's face fell. "What's he doing here?" he whispered harshly to Woohyun before putting on a friendly mask and waving Myungsoo over to them.

"I invited him," Woohyun admitted.

"Sunggyu-hyung! I haven't seen you in a while!" Myungsoo exclaimed in shock. A smile overwhelmed his face as he hugged the elder tightly. Woohyun's face fell. It was bound to happen, that Myungsoo would start clinging onto Sunggyu like he did with the others. He wouldn't be able to use him to provoke Sunggyu for much longer. 

Sunggyu had a surprised expression as he lightly hugged the boy back. "Uh, yea. It's been awhile." He shot Woohyun a confused look. Woohyun forced a smile and shrugged. After Myungsoo finally let got, Sunggyu got up. "Um, I'm going to use the restroom. But, Hyun, get me another drink while I'm gone. You owe me." Woohyun nodded in agreement as the other left.

Woohyun wasn't proud of what he did next, but he could see his "make Sunggyu jealous" plan crumbling at his feet. When he caught Sunggyu returning from the bathroom out of the corner of his eye, Woohyun leaned forward and kissed Myungsoo on the cheek, pretending what he had just said or did was adorable. Myungsoo didn't mind; he was like a sponge when it came to skinship. He looked at Woohyun and smiled while giggling excitedly because was still in the midst of telling Woohyun his story about when he and Sungyeol were attacked by a squirrel. But in a quick glimpse it would have looked like Myungsoo was giddy over Woohyun's kiss.

And that glimpse was all Sunggyu saw.

**...and maybe take it a little too far.**

He walked past the two and out the door with his head down, trying not to be seen.

**Step 30: Confront the person you love and try to force a confession from them.**

Woohyun excused himself and followed Sunggyu outside. It was that time of year when the days were warm but the nights surprisingly cold. And the only way Woohyun had recognized Sunggyu's silhouette in the dark was because he was shivering. He never did handle the cold very well.

"Hyung! Sunggyu-hyung!" Woohyun called after him, jogging to catch up. Once he did, he couldn't fight back his smile as he asked, "Why are you leaving?"

Sunggyu sniffed as he rubbed his arms. "I didn't want to interrupt you two," he said while looking away. But then he turned to face Woohyun and narrowed his eyes. "I thought you said that you weren't dating him."

"But I never said that I wasn't going to try," Woohyun pointed out. "Especially after you said that he was out of my league, it kind of wanted me to try." He tried to press any button that would trigger the reaction he wanted. But Sunggyu's mind seemed preoccupied with the cold as he tucked his hands underneath his arms. Woohyun tried again. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"

"No, he's a great guy," Sunggyu said with a sniff. "Congratulations," his voice sounded hallow as he brushed past Woohyun and walked more quickly.

Woohyun overtook him in a few strides and stepped in front of him. "Are you jealous, hyung?"

"Why would I be? You're my best friend, and I'm not gay." Sunggyu shrugged. "There's no need to be."

A laughter that had been bubbling in his chest burst forth from Woohyun's mouth. Sunggyu's voice sounded stronger, but he refused to look him in the eye. He looked caught like Woohyun had been himself months earlier. "Hyung, I see the way you look at me. The way you look at Myungsoo like you want to kill him. I'm not dumb. You like me."

**Note: Step 30 never works with stubborn asses.**

"No, I don't," Sunggyu declared looking Woohyun straight in the eye. Even in the dark, a fire blazing behind them could be seen. He shoved Woohyun. "And what about you? What the hell are you doing with Myungsoo? Are you seriously trying to make me jealous with him? I've seen him practically jump Sungyeol on campus. The guy clings onto everybody." Woohyun gulped and looked away. Now it was Sunggyu's time to laugh condescendingly. "Face it. You still like me."

**Step 31: Lie and say that you are over them.**

"Don't flatter yourself," Woohyun scoffed, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'm over you and your pretentious ass."

"Pretentious? Ha!" Sunggyu mocked. "Do you even know what that means?"

The corner of Woohyun's mouth twitched in anger. "Maybe not the dictionary definition. But I know it well enough to tell that you're one, ass***e."

"Fine. I might be pretentious," Sunggyu put his hands up in defeat. Then he glared at Woohyun and pointed a finger into the other's chest. "But at least I'm not a child like you. You are so f***ing embarrassing at times. Did you know that? Just because you can't keep your temper in check like a f***ing baby."

"Shit. I'm a child? I'm the child?!" Woohyun exclaimed as he looked around. He scoffed. "I might be younger, _hyung_ , but at least I can make up my f***ing mind, unlike you. Do you like me or not? Make up your mind! You were obviously jealous of Myungsoo right now. Don't you deny it. I know you." He saw Sunggyu look away, acknowledging that the accusation might have been true. But that didn't calm the fire burning in Woohyun's chest, now consuming him. He tried one last time to provoke the other. "God! I must've been an absolute idiot to have liked you. A giant f***ing idiot." He stepped closer to Sunggyu until he could feel the elder's panting breaths on his face. "And you know what? I'm glad I'm over you," he sneered. "I didn't even know what I was thinking then. Myungsoo is way more handsome than you, and he treats me better. He's everything that you couldn't be."

**Step 32: Regret what you said.**

Woohyun heard a sniff coming from Sunggyu. It wasn't the normal, shivering snivels he had come to know. But it was trying to hold something back. Woohyun stepped back to get a better look. Sunggyu had his head down, and his crossed arms over his chest barely concealed the fact that it was heaving. He all of the sudden looked very small, as if he wanted to collapse into himself. A sad smile graced his lips. "Then I'm glad you have him," his voice was shaky. He walked away. And Woohyun let him go.

And let his tears fall. What had he just done?

**Step 33: Wallow in self-pity because things didn’t go as you planned.**

Later that night after he had calmed down and had a couple of drinks, Woohyun had sent a text which just simply said, "I'm sorry." But he never got a response. And things got worse from there.

They didn't talk to each other for a month. They didn't see each other either. Woohyun let Sunggyu have his usual spots, and he went to go seek new ones. Even their friends became divided between them. Woohyun's friends were once again his, and the same went for Sunggyu's. Kibum and Sungyeol joked behind his back that this was some type of divorce settlement, but they dared not say it to Woohyun's face. Because even though he was smiling, it was obviously forced. And not even Myungsoo could distract him from this depression.

And that's exactly what it felt like. A depression in his chest. A big gaping hole of nothingness. His heartbreak the first time was nothing compared to this because this time around, he had lost Sunggyu as a friend. He had lost him entirely. He had pushed him too hard and pushed him over the edge. 

Seeing this, Sungyeol, Kibum, and Myungsoo rarely let Woohyun alone, let him think. They constantly were planning things for them to do together. They tried everything in their power to make Woohyun happy. Sungyeol even cuddled with Woohyun on the couch one night. It was weird, and they never spoke of it again. The three even had a schedule of when to "babysit" Woohyun: Kibum spent the mornings with him because they had the most classes together, Myungsoo would have the afternoons and lunch, and Sungyeol as the roommate had the evenings. Except for one afternoon, Myungsoo was sick and accidentally slept through the time he was supposed to meet Woohyun.

Woohyun had waited for Myungsoo for a half an hour outside the music building before giving up. That morning, he had found the crumpled composition for the song he had played for Sunggyu when he confessed the first time. It left him with a nostalgic feeling the entire day. And just for once, he was going to indulge it, without his three friends tearing him away. 

He went to the tonkatsu restaurant where he sometimes met with Sunggyu. He wagered that the elder wouldn't be there because it was late in the afternoon and on Wednesdays he ate Chinese, Sunggyu's schedule still etched in his mind. "I'm sorry. We're a bit packed. Do you mind sharing a table with someone else?" the owner asked.

Woohyun smiled. "Not at all." It was good. He didn't want to be entirely alone anyway. Someone's presence would do him good.

"There's an available seat right here," she said as ushered Woohyun to an open chair.

**Step 34: Accidentally run into them for real this time.**

A chair which was right across from Sunggyu. Their eyes met as Sunggyu tied to put a piece of pork into his mouth, but it fell out from his chopsticks. Woohyun turned to walk away, far away, but Sunggyu had grabbed his forearm. "Wait. Don't go. Sit down."

Woohyun followed his commands like an obedient puppy he morphed into when he was around the other. He looked up from the table and saw Sunggyu staring at him with a serious expression. "We need to talk."

**Step 35: Have an honest heart-to-heart.**

"I'm sorry," he blurted out as if he had been holding it in for a long time. "I said some things that I shouldn't have said." Then his eyes latched onto Woohyun's. "But you did too." Of course, Sunggyu wouldn't take the blame for all of this, and there was no need for him to. They were both at fault. And even though Woohyun had already apologized, it's always better to hear something than read it through a text.

"I'm sorry too, hyung," Woohyun apologized sincerely. "I didn't mean it."

Sunggyu perked up, leaving a wad of half-way chew food inside his cheek. "Which part?"

"All of it," Woohyun admitted with a sigh.

"All?"

"Eung, all." Woohyun said with a nod. He lifted his eyes from the glass that he was playing with in his hands to see Sunggyu also nodding with a small smile on his face.

"Me too," he admitted. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "It's weird now. Quiet," he confessed. He chuckled to himself. "I can actually get work done now. But...it's also less fun. I missed you." 

Woohyun's heart began to race again like it used too, making his body warm and excited, but also serving as a reminder. "I miss you too, hyung," he said with a large smile. "But...these feelings aren't just going to go away. At least not yet."

Sunggyu looked down and picked at his food. He bit his lip before responding, "It's okay...it's okay if you still have them, the feelings. I don't mind." He then stuffed a large spoonful of rice in his mouth.

**Step 36: Learn to read between the lines.**

Woohyun's heart stopped. This might be it. The sign he had been searching for this entire time. A smile overtook his face. His thoughts raced a mile a minute, pondering the implications of this statement. And all of them came to one conclusion. He leaned in over the table. "Hyung, are you giving me permission to like you?" he asked. Sunggyu nodded, still chewing on his food. "Why? Do you really miss me that much?"

"Maybe," Sunggyu mumbled through his mouthful of food. Some of it splattered onto Woohyun, but he could honestly care less at the moment. This _was_ it. And this time, Woohyun wasn't going to mess it up. He did what he should have done last time; he let Sunggyu talk. Because whenever there was a silence, empty air, Sunggyu felt compelled to fill it. Then he would just ramble about whatever was on his mind, which was exactly what Woohyun wanted to know. And so he stayed silent and calm, staring at Sunggyu who started to shift in the uncomfortable silence. Finally, the elder wasn't able to take it anymore. He looked up at the ceiling as if the answer was there, his mouth grasping for words. Then he must have found them because he began speaking, "I like...hanging out with you. This feels good. This feels right. And I really don't care what other people think. If we want to do this, then we should. You feel the way you feel, and I feel...hot. Is it hot to you in here? Is it just me?" His eyes darting all over the restaurant, and he pulled at the collar of his sweatshirt and puffed out his cheeks. 

Woohyun chuckled at the flustered man across from him and wanted to rile him up even more. "Hyung, you're always hot to me," he teased.

Sunggyu punched him in the arm like he used to. "Shut up." Blush started to creep up onto his cheeks.

**Step 37: Take one more chance.**

Woohyun lowered his head, trying to catch Sunggyu's eyes. He tilted his head. "Hyung, do you want to go out with me?" With his head still hanging down, Sunggyu nodded, probably not wanting the other to see how red his face was. Woohyun had been waiting for this moment for longer than he would like to admit. He jumped up from the table and started pump his fist and bounce around a little. "I knew it. I knew it! I knew you liked me!" he cheered.

**Note: Keep celebration to a minimum if they say “yes.”**

"If you don't stop that, I'm going to change my mind," Sunggyu growled through gritted teeth. Woohyun immediately sat down and shut his mouth tightly, but a happy hum still escaped his lips, bringing a delighted chuckle from the other.

**Step 38: Go on your first date.**

That Friday, they had their first date. It was an agonizing wait for Woohyun, after all he had been waiting for months for this date, and he already had every moment planned. He was going to take Sunggyu to the expensive Japanese restaurant that they both always talked about going to, but never found an occasion special enough to warrant it (until now). And after eating and drinking their fill, they would walk hand-in-hand down along the river, like all the couples did. Then after getting an ice cream cone (or sharing a milk-shake), Woohyun would walk Sunggyu back to his apartment door, and they would share their first kiss. It was going to be magical, and everything like Woohyun dreamed.

But dreams are different from reality, and after you build up something so high in your mind, reality can never match up to it. And so when Woohyun met up with Sunggyu who was wearing his usual backwards baseball cap and sweatshirt with torn jeans. Woohyun's heart sank a bit. He himself had spent an hour and exchanged several text messages with Kibum so that he could get together the perfect outfit and style his hair. And Sunggyu looked like he just woke up from a nap. In fact when he approached Woohyun, he was yawning.  When Woohyun complained about his appearance, Sunggyu shrugged. "I have no one to impress. You were the one begging to date me," he teased.

That set the tone for the rest of the evening. The night seemed no different from the other nights they spent out together. Even though they ate at a special place, the conversation between them was normal (but not in the boring sense). Woohyun chastised himself for hoping for too much. Did he really expect them to sit on the same side of the table and whisper sweet-nothings to each other all night long? Yes. But he also knew Sunggyu and that it was probably too much to expect from a first date. But then Sunggyu picked up the check. He saw Woohyun reaching for it and quickly grabbed it. "It's customary for the hyung to pay," he defended as he pulled out his wallet. Woohyun pouted. That was true. But it was also customary to pay for the meal of the person you asked out. And if Sunggyu paid like he sometimes did, then there was nothing special about the meal.

The walk along the river was nice, although they didn't exactly hold hands. The night was chillier than expected, and Sunggyu latched onto his arm as if he was a leech sucking all of the warmth from Woohyun's body. Woohyun had offered the other his coat, but Sunggyu refused and only clutched onto the arm even closer. Woohyun thought that he might prefer this over hand-holding. He secretly hoped that all of their nights would be this cold.

Then after getting ice cream, Woohyun walked Sunggyu back to his door, who was grumbling because Woohyun was treating him like a girl by walking him home. It left Woohyun with an odd feeling. He had no idea how the night went, or if Sunggyu even enjoyed it. And now the both of them were facing Sunggyu's door and the end of the night, not knowing how to finish it.

**Step 39: If things go well, kiss them goodnight. If the date was good but not great, give them a hug. If it was alright, shake their hand.**

**Note: If you have no idea how the date went, go for all three.**

Woohyun extended his right hand in the space between them. "Good night, hyung."

Sunggyu looked at the hand and snorted. "Seriously? This is how Nam Woohyun ends a date?" he joked. He slapped away the hand and extended his own arms out to Woohyun. "Come here," he commanded in a soft voice, gesturing with his hands for Woohyun to come closer. And Woohyun did, stepping into the elder's embrace, snaking his hands around his waist and Sunggyu's arms encircled his shoulders. Sunggyu held him more tightly than ever before and ran his hands up and down his back. Woohyun smiled. The date had gone better than he thought, and Sunggyu still wanted to do this.

Woohyun pulled away first, still leaving his arms around Sunggyu's waist, but his dropped a bit lower down his back. Woohyun could see the pout beginning to form on Sunggyu's lips. His smile grew wider. "No, hyung. This is how I end a date." He brought his his lips to lightly touch the other's. Woohyun didn't want to go too far like he had the tendency to do. So for once he pulled back, quiet literally, after only kissing for less than a second. But Sunggyu continued to lean in, even after Woohyun pulled back, following his lips. And Woohyun was more than happy to oblige Sunggyu's unspoken request. But perhaps he was a little to eager because the force of Woohyun's renewed kiss knocked Sunggyu's back into his door. But the elder didn't seem to care. He pulled the younger in closer to deepen the kiss. They indulged in each other, explored each other with hands roaming over clothed skin and tongues prodding each other's mouths. At one point in time, Woohyun even let out a contented sigh because even though the date didn't go like he had dreamed, this kiss was better than he imagined.

And this time Sunggyu was the first to pull away, but not before he pressed a few pecks on Woohyun's pouting lips. "It's getting late," he explained. He turned around and began to fumble with his keys.

Woohyun still clutched onto his waist, although now holding onto him from behind. He rested his chin on the other's shoulder. The door lock clicked, and Sunggyu turned the knob. "Can I come inside?" he asked.

Sunggyu laughed, detaching Woohyun from him. "I don't put out on the first date," he joked as he stepped inside his apartment.

"Then what date do you put out on?" the younger asked excitedly. Sunggyu rolled his eyes and shut the door in Woohyun's face. "Huh? Which one?" he called through the closed door.

"Go away, Hyun!"

**Step 40: Go on a second date.**

**Note: Going out for lunch counts. Going out for coffee counts. Walking together on campus counts…in short, it’s the next time you run into them.**

Although he wasn't in the habit of doing so like he was the semester before, Woohyun woke up and went to the cafe the next morning, knowing that the elder would be there (and impatient to see him again). He got there early and ordered their usual drinks. There was no way that he was going to let Sunggyu pay for this too. And then he carefully picked out a spot in the cafe. He avoided the small tables the usually sat at and opted for the loveseat in the corner. Yes, now Sunggyu would be forced to sit next to him and cuddle...although there was an arm chair right next to the loveseat. And as Woohyun was staring threateningly at the arm chair was when Sunggyu arrived. "Is this for me?" he asked, grabbing the coffee cup from off the table in front of the seat, not even waiting for Woohyun's answer. Then, to Woohyun's delight, he sat down next to him in the loveseat and rested his head on Woohyun's shoulders. "It's too early. I'm still tired," he whined into Woohyun's neck.

Woohyun smiled a little too brightly for 8 in the morning and placed an arm around the other's shoulders. "That's what the coffee is for."

**Step 41: Go on a third date to somewhere exciting. Trying new things together fosters trust.**

The next weekend, Woohyun refused to tell Sunggyu where they were going. He wanted it to be a surprise. But Sunggyu wanted to know and kept pestering the other with guesses and questions about where they were going. To Sunggyu's dismay, Woohyun was able to keep his lips shut tightly, and the secret tucked away inside. But once they reached their destination, Woohyun wondered if he should have told him.

"The beach? We're at the beach?" Sunggyu looked around in shock as they walked out of Woohyun's car.

"What hyung? Are you scared of getting sand in your pants?" Woohyun jutted out his chin as he teased the elder.

"No," Sunggyu admitted as he kicked the pavement with his shoe. "I'm afraid of the water."

"Don't worry, hyung. We don't have to go in if you don't want to," Woohyun offered.

Sunggyu looked at him suspiciously. "Really?" Woohyun nodded. "And you won't try to push me in?" Woohyun nodded again, innocently. "I'm holding you to that," he warned, pointing a finger at Woohyun as he walked towards the beach.

Woohyun lied. He tried to push in the other every chance he got. He liked seeing Sunggyu squeal girlishly and run away. "Come on. The water won't bite," Woohyun teased after seeing Sunggyu prance away for the 16th time.

"If you try to throw me in again, I'll bite you," Sunggyu threatened as he tried to put some distance in between them.

"Fine. You do something scary. I'll do something that terrifies me," Woohyun offered.

"What?" Sunggyu turned around, interested.

"What's the number one thing you want to do?" Woohyun asked.

Sunggyu looked at him with widened, excited eyes. "REALLY?!" Woohyun nodded. Sunggyu smiled brightly. "Alright, let's do this!" he exhorted to himself as he marched off into the water.

An hour later, Woohyun was regretting his offer. It wasn't worth it. Sunggyu had only gone into the water for five minutes and complained the whole time about how cold it was and how the fish were biting him (it was mostly Woohyun pinching him under the water). Even seeing Sunggyu with a wet shirt clingy tightly to his body wasn't worth this torture. "Oh my god! Oh my god! What are you doing?! There's a person. Slow down! Slown down!" Woohyun shouted, shielding himself with his arms. Sunggyu suddenly hit the brake causing Woohyun to jerk forward. Sunggyu was driving his car. Sunggyu who hadn't drove in 5 years and had failed the driving test 3 times, was driving his car.

Sunggyu pressed a little too hard on the gas and they jerked forward. He turned to look at Woohyun. "Relax. I'm a good driver," he said with a charming smile.

That did nothing to disperse Woohyun's anxiety. "Oh shit! Eyes on the road! Eyes on the road!" They narrowly missed an old lady and her two grandchild.

"Hehe oops."

**Step 42: Go on so many dates that you finally stopped counting them.**

**Step 43: Test your relationship’s boundaries.**

Woohyun liked to push Sunggyu, to see what the elder would allow and what he wouldn't. Sunggyu allowed him to hold his hand in public. He also let Woohyun peck him on the cheek. And on occasion, Woohyun could even kiss him on the lips in public. But once Woohyun would try to deepen the kiss, Sunggyu would pull away and chastise him. He didn't like that. Sunggyu also didn't like when Woohyun squeezed his butt in public either. That often led to a punch in his arm...which led to several more punches (Woohyun never understood why Sunggyu liked to punch his arm so much, but he just let him do it because it made Sunggyu happy).

Woohyun did the same with pet names. Both deemed it weird for two grown men to call each other "babe" and "baby." And Woohyun thought it weird to always call the other "hyung," especially when the other performed aegyo to Woohyun in private and had a pajama shirt with Winnie the Pooh on it. In private, Woohyun called Sunggyu "honey" and "sweetie," and he oddly responded very well to "GyuGyu." In public, Sunggyu was always "hyung" or "Gyu." But if they were with close friends, Sunggyu sometimes let Woohyun call him "jagi."

And there were other boundaries that needed to be tested. After Woohyun had completed his finals and subsequently his first year, Sunggyu invited him over to his apartment to celebrate. What had meant to be a night of take out and bad actions movies, turned out to he the two men relocating to the bed in Sunggyu's bedroom, with their shirts tossed into the corner. Woohyun was hovering above Sunggyu, carefully not to crush him, with his one hand entangled into the elders dark brown locks and the other caressing the soft skin over his ribs. He was kissing Sunggyu as if he was starving for weeks. And Sunggyu wasn't passive either. His hands were greedily exploring Woohyun's chest and arms. And he was nibbling on Woohyun's plump limps to satisfy his own hunger. Woohyun started to take things a bit further as he left Sunggyu's warm lips and began to kiss his neck. Kissing him lower and lower until his lips were tracing Sunggyu's collar bone. And his hands were roaming lower as well, until it landed on what it was searching for. He palmed Sunggyu's groin. "Hyun," Sunggyu whimpered, and Woohyun had interpreted it as a plea as he massaged the spot even harder. The elder groaned again. Woohyun then tried to sneak his hand under the waistband of the other's sweatpants. But suddenly, Sunggyu grabbed his wrist. "Hyun...I'm...I'm not ready."

**Step 44: Have “the talk.”**

Woohyun pulled himself up so that he was now sitting on Sunggyu's lap (perhaps not the best place for this conversation). "Don't you trust me?" his voice was sad and confused.

Sunggyu propped himself on his elbows and nodded. "I do. And I like you a lot." Then he looked away and bit his lip while he thought. "It's just that this is just my first time...being with...another guy," he said slowly, unsure.

Woohyun chuckled and rubbed Sunggyu's arms. "Gyu, this is new territory for me too. I just graduated from high school! Just how much experience did you think I had?!"

"You always just seemed so...sure," Sunggyu scrambled for words, leaning back as Woohyun was leaning in again.

"That's because I am sure," Woohyun said with a smile and quickly pecked Sunggyu's lips before he finished, "about you."

Sunggyu pushed him off. "Shut up," he threatened with a chuckle.

"But I am," Woohyun crawled back toward him. "I am 100% sure about you. No! 110...200%! 1000%! 1,00,000%!"

Sunggyu grabbed his cheeks and smushed them together, causing Woohyun's lips to pucker and leaving him unable to speak. "Gah! What did I do to deserve a boyfriend like you?" he lamented.

Woohyun's heart stopped. The might not have made much progress in the bedroom, but their relationship just took a giant leap. That was the first time the either of them had referred to the other as his boyfriend. Woohyun could barely contain his happiness as he smiled and showered the other's face with light kisses. "I don't know...maybe you saved a country in your past life. I'm quite the catch," he bragged after his "love barrage."

Sunggyu pushed him away again before his lips touched the elder's skin again. "Nam! I swear to God!"

**Step 45: Meet the parents.**

During the summer break, Sunggyu was feeling homesick. His hometown was three hours away, but he opted to stay in Seoul to assist a music professor with the summer courses. Of course the elder never admitted how much he missed his mother and hometown. But Woohyun could hear it in the sadness of his voice when he got off the phone with his mother and the way Sunggyu would frown when someone else announced that they were visiting their own home. That's when Woohyun decided to offer up his own Seoul home as consolation. "Let's just go there for the weekend. I know it's not Jeonju and it's not your house. But there will be a home-cooked meal, and my mom likes hugging as much as I do." And with that argument, Sunggyu agreed and actually looked excited as they approached Woohyun's home. He even dressed nicely for the occasion, abandoning his cap for styled hair too. 

"You know, this will be the first time I meet your parents," Sunggyu said excitedly. "I wonder what kind of people they are like to give birth to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Woohyun asked with a chuckle as he knocked on his door. His mother answered it within 10 seconds.

"Woohyun-ah! I missed you," she said immediately enveloping her son into her hug.

"I missed you too, mommy," he said, squeezing her back just as tightly. Then he pulled away. "And this is my boyfriend, Kim Sunggyu," he introduced and then watched Sunggyu squirm for a bit not knowing whether to bow, shake hands, or to hug her. He looked back at his mother whose face looked a bit shocked.

"Oh sorry, excuse my expression," she apologized, pointing at her face. "I just thought you would be somebody else." She faced her son. "What happened to the other boy? The one you brought home last time?"

Woohyun hit his forehead with the heel of his palm. "Mom, that was Myungsoo," he groaned under his breath. Myungsoo was still a touchy subject between Woohyun and Sunggyu (although still a good friend, but he sometimes conjured up bad memories).

"Oh, silly me. You know me. I'm bad with names," she defended. Then she turned to Sunggyu and gave him a hug. "Anywho, It's nice to meet you Sunggyu." And by the expression on Sunggyu's face, the elder didn't find the hug warming at all.

The weekend only seemed to get worse from there. When Woohyun's father came home, he began to grill Sunggyu and was disappointed to find out that his major was also Music. Woohyun's father clicked his tongue before diving into a lecture: "So you two are both in music? You guys will have a hard time with things. That's not a very stable career. Once your voice even quivers, you're out of the game. I was hoping that you were going to talk Woohyun into a more applicable major, but seeing as your in music too...tsk."

The only redeeming part of the weekend was the food, which his mother graciously loaded the both of them down with large containers of kimchi and other homemade dishes. And there was only one way to enjoy those foods...

**Step 46: Go out for drinks afterwards because your parents are f***ing crazy.**

And the both of them drank a bit too much, but Sunggyu drank a bit more because not only did he think that he made a horrible first impression on Woohyun's parents (which wasn't true, despite what it seemed. Woohyun's mother already texted him several times about how she could not wait to see that "nice boy" again) but now he was even more homesick than before. Woohyun carried Sunggyu on his back on their way back to Sunggyu's apartment because the elder had begun to fall asleep in the bar. And by the time they reached the apartment, Sunggyu was completely passed out and drooling on his back. 

After tossing Sunggyu onto his bed and taking off his shoes, Woohyun watched him as the elder smacked his lips and turned onto his side. He was going to have a nasty hang-over the next morning. Woohyun took off his own coat and shoes and crawled into the bed next to Sunggyu. He might as well stay the night so that he could care for him in the morning.

Also this way he could snuggle against Sunggyu all he wanted without the other complaining that he was too hot. It was a win-win.

**Step 47: Take care of them when they are sick.**

"Good morning, GyuGyu," Woohyun greeted as a zombie-like Sunggyu emerged from his bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Too loud," he groaned as he plopped his head onto the table with a loud thud. Then he dragged his face against the table to look at Woohyun better. "Did you spend the night here?"

Woohyun nodded as he brought over a couple bowls of soup and rice. "Someone drank a little too much last night," he said as he reached over the table to fix Sunggyu's bedhead.

"Don't remind me," Sunggyu mumbled. He lifted his head from the table and winced. "Ugh! My head is pounding." 

Woohyun reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill bottle. "I thought it might be. Here," he offered it to the other. As Sunggyu was having the struggle of his life with the pill bottle, Woohyun got up from the table and walked behind Sunggyu. He brought his fingers to the sides of the other's head and began to knead them gently into his temples. Sunggyu almost automatically sighed in relief. "Feeling better?" Sunggyu nodded slightly.

"What would I do without you, Hyunnie?" he mused.

**Step 48: Make them realize that they need you and cannot live without you.**

Woohyun smiled. "You know, next week it will be a year since we met. Without me...You'd probably be passed out on the side of the road." Sunggyu turned back towards him to give a confused glance. "I carried you back home too," he explained now massaging Sunggyu's tense neck.

"Heh, I'd probably be pick-pocketed then, or groped," he joked, rolling his shoulders under the younger's touch.

"Or killed by some crazed hobo," Woohyun continued. "I practically saved your life."

Sunggyu let out a slight laugh. "You're basically Superman."

"Eung." Then he patted Sunggyu's shoulders, before leaving them. He heard Sunggyu whimper, wanting him to continue. Woohyun ignored it and returned to his side of the table. "Now. Let's eat. I'm starving. And this time I didn't burn anything!" he cheered before he dug into the meal in front of him. But after a while, he noticed that it was eerily quiet. He could only hear his spoon scraping the soup bowl, and Sunggyu wasn't making his loud chewing noise as he ate rice with an open mouth. Woohyun paused and glanced up at the person across from him. Sunggyu hadn't even touched his food. He was just staring at him with a weird look on his face. "What? I'm not feeding you."

Sunggyu blushed and grabbed for his spoon. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just that..."

**Step 49: Receive a confession of their love for you.**

"I love you," he quickly said before finally eating.

If you could live after your heart exploded, Woohyun just did at that moment. He dropped his spoon into the bowl and smiled the biggest smile he made since he got a puppy when he was five years old.

**Note: Don’t laugh. Be nice and say it back. Afterall, you did love them first.**

"I love you too, Gyu."

**Step 50: Become lovers. =_=**

**Author's Note:**

> A more appropriate title would probably be "How to win a hamster's heart in 50 complicated steps."
> 
> ...
> 
> I never meant for it to be this long. And I kinda rushed it at the end. Sorry!
> 
> Also I've been watching too much "We Got Married," hence the guest appearance by Key and Heechul.


End file.
